How to get the best from your corporate event budget in 2025

Corporate events aren’t just social gatherings, they should serve a clear business purpose. Whether you’re aiming to boost employee engagement, drive sales, or improve retention, setting clear objectives is key.

• 69% of businesses say corporate events directly contribute to revenue growth.
• 75% report increased productivity following events, rising to 84% for events held in natural settings.

Event Pro Tip: Design sessions or activities that align with company goals, such as sales strategy workshops, leadership development panels, or team-building challenges.

Employee wellbeing is now a top priority for businesses. In fact, 94% of companies believe that corporate events improve employee wellbeing, and 58% are increasing their event budgets specifically for this reason.

Events that incorporate mindfulness, relaxation, and team bonding not only make employees feel valued but also contribute to better workplace morale and retention.

Event Pro Tip: Include wellbeing activities like yoga, meditation, or outdoor adventures to improve engagement and boost employee satisfaction.

Your chosen event venue can make or break the experience. Research shows that events in nature-rich environments provide better outcomes than traditional corporate settings.

• 83% of businesses say nature-based events help prevent workplace disputes.
• Employee positivity after events jumps from 53% to 63% when held in outdoor settings.
• Productivity improvements rise from 75% to 84% when events are hosted in natural environments.

Event Pro Tip: If possible, choose a venue in nature to enhance creativity, collaboration, and relaxation.

Measuring event success is critical for proving ROI and securing future budgets. While 92% of businesses track event impact, only 52% use structured methods, meaning many miss out on valuable insights.

Event Pro Tip: Use post-event surveys, engagement tracking, and productivity metrics to gather actionable feedback. Don’t rely solely on management feedback - get input from all attendees.

With some businesses facing budget constraints, strategic planning is key. Rather than cutting events entirely, many companies are opting for fewer but larger, high-impact events.

• 41% of businesses directly link corporate events to higher employee retention.
• Cost-effective solutions like hybrid events or pre-packaged team-building experiences can help businesses maximize their ROI without overspending.

Event Pro Tip: Focus on quality over quantity - a well-executed, meaningful event will have a bigger impact than multiple low-engagement gatherings; giving you ROI and ROE (Return on experience)!